Teenager proves too good for Scots rivals

England’s Lily May Humphreys dashed home hopes at the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, securing a notable title at the course.

With joint overnight leader Shannon McWilliam (Aboyne), St Regulus’ Chloe Goadby and first-round leader Hannah McCook (Grantown) all in the hunt going into the final round, there were genuine hopes of a first Scottish winner in the event since Heather Stirling 16 years ago.

But the reigning English women’s amateur champion, who only turned 16 last month, claimed the prestigious prize with a one-stroke win from Goadby.

Humphreys finished on nine under par after a superb closing fourunder 68 in the breezy conditions, helped by a hat-trick of birdies from the seventh, with two further birdies at 12 and 13 ultimately proving decisive.

Defending champion Linn Grant, from Sweden, finished third on seven under par – with the Swedes taking the team title by a shot from Scotland – while McWilliam finished on five under.

McWilliam had raced out of the blocks with three birdies in the first five holes to hit the front, but a double bogey at the 6th and then a shank out of bounds on to the railway tracks at the 11th proved her undoing.

Six Scots finished inside the top 10, with McCook tied sixth, Gemma Batty (West Linton) ninth and Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm) and Jasmine MacKintosh (Hazlehead) sharing 10th.

Shannon McWilliam